Introductory Course into Ukrainian Literature and Culture - Einzelansicht

The development of Ukrainian literature spans more than ten centuries. This makes it an important resource for understanding Ukraine and its problems in the past and present. The aim of this course is to introduce students to some key texts and events in the Ukrainian literary process of the XIX-XXI centuries that will help to form an understanding of the stages and factors of Ukraine's contemporary decolonization, triggered by the Russian-Ukrainian war. The structure of the course takes into account the two basic characteristics of Ukrainian literature within the mentioned chronological framework. These are 1) its anti-colonial and anti-totalitarian orientation, and 2) its participation in contemporary decolonization processes. 

The course is 120 hours (4 credits). Classroom work (in a hybrid format) is designed for 30 hours. Independent work requires 92 hours. It involves reading the recommended Ukrainian texts in English translation (in full or certain excerpts), as well as answering test questions. 

Most part of the reading material (recommended texts) and tests will be posted on the course page in MS Teams at the end of September.

Recommended texts

1) Anti-colonial and Anti-totalitarian Writing in the Ukrainian Literature

-Taras Shevchenko. ”The Caucasus” and an excerpt from ”The Dream (a comedy)” (poems)

-Lesya Ukrainka. ”The Noblewomen” (a drama)

-Pavlo Tychyna. ”And Bely, and Blok, and Esenin, and Kliujev…” (a poem)

-Mykola Kulish. ”Sonata Pathétique” (a drama).

-Ivan Bahrianyi. ”Tyhrolovy” (”Tiger Trappers” or ”The Hunters and the Hunted”) (excerpts from the novel).

-Emma Andijewska. 1-2 little novels from the book ”Tyhry” (”Tigers”) or 1-2 fairy tales from the book ”Kazky” (”Fairy Tales”).

-Vasyl Stus. 2-3 poems from the poetry book ”Palimpsesty” (”Palimpsests”).

-Yuri Andrukhovych. ”Moskoviada” (”The Moskoviad”) (excerpts from the novel).

2) Participation of the contemporary Ukrainian writers in the decolonization processes by rethinking the issues of national identity, memory, and civic duty in the creative works as well as by cultural diplomacy, volunteering, and military service during the current Russian-Ukrainian War

-Serhiy Zhadan. 2-3 poems from the poetic book ”A New Orthography”. Lost Horse Press’s Contemporary Ukrainian Poetry Series, vol. 5. 2020

-Olena Stiazhkina. ”Cecil the Lion Had to Die”. Harvard Library of Ukrainian Literature, 2023 (excerpts from the novel).

-Volodymyr Rafeyenko. ”Mondegreen” (excerpts from the novel).

-Natalka Marynchak. ”A_literation:4.5.0” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znQzgSM0Hl0 (sound poetry from 33:57 to 1.11:00)

INDICATIVE COURSE PLAN

27.10.2023 (1). What is Ukrainian literature? Overview of key concepts and historical background.

3.11.2023 (2). The literary image of ethnic identity on the background of the ”other”: Ukrainians vs. Russians

10.11.2023 (3). The artistic phenomenon of Taras Shevchenko. An anti-colonial discourse of his poems ”Kavkaz” (”The Caucasus”) and ”Son” (”The Dream (a comedy)”). Shevchenko is also a painter and graphic artist.

17.11.2023 (4). An anti-colonial discourse of Lesya Ukrainka's artistic phenomenon.

24.11.2023 (5). Discussion of Lesya Ukrainka's drama ”Boyarynya” (”The Noblewomen”).

1.12.2023 (6). Ukrainian national and cultural revival of the 1920s. The idea of cultural independence from Russia in Mykola Khvylovyi’s life and texts.

8.12.2023 (7). The phenomenon of ”Executed Renaissance” in Ukrainian culture. The drama of Mykola Kulish and discussion of ”Patetychna sonata” (”Sonata Pathétique”).

15.12.2023 (8). The phenomenon of ”Executed Renaissance” in Ukrainian culture. ‘The first poet in cinema’ Olexandr Dovzhenko. Discussion of his film ”Zemlia” (”The Land”).

22.12.2023 (9). The phenomenon of Ukrainian emigration and diaspora literature in the XXth century. Ivan Bahrianyi. ”Tyhrolovy” (”Tiger Trappers” or ”The Hunters and the Hunted”

5.01.2024 (10). The creative phenomenon of Emma Andijewska as a writer and painter.

12.01.2024 (11). «The Sixtiers» artistic phenomenon. Discussion of the samples of the poetry of Lina Kostenko and Vasyl Stus.

19.01.2024 (12). Postmodern literary burlesque as a way to destroy stereotypes of imperial culture. Discussion of excerpts of the novel ”Moskoviada” (”The Moskoviad”) by Yuri Andrukhovych.

26.01.2024 (13). Ukrainian writers and the struggle for freedom during the Revolution of Dignity and the Russian War against Ukraine (2013-14 – 2022 – present day). Serhii Zhadan, Halia Kruk.

2.02.2024 (14). Home on the frontier. Contemporary rethinking of issues of Ukrainian identity, memory, and culture by Olena Stiazhkina, Natalka Marynchak.

9.02.2024 (15). Home on the frontier. Contemporary rethinking of issues of Ukrainian identity, memory, and culture by Volodymyr Rafeyenko, Victoria Amelina.
Summary.